Apparatus for making composite glass



f Jan. s, 1929.

w. 0.1.YTLE

APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPOSITE GLASS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March l0, 1927 85 87 g4 f gw Jan. 8, 1929. 1,698,371

w. o. LYTLE APPARATUS -FOR MAKING COMPOSITE GLASS Filed March 10, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR gan. s, 1929. 1,698,371 W. O. LYTLE APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPOSITE GLASS Filed March lO, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR 'Jm s, 1929.

1,698,371 w. o. LYTLE APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPOSITE GLASS Filed March 10, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 5547 4. j, 41 43'/ 36 37 l J WMZ l lili/WM l Ill/WZ] INVENTOH Patented Jan. 8, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,698,371 PATENT` OFFICE.

WILLIAM ORLAND LYTLE, F NEW KENSINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA, AS SIGNOR TO PITTSBURGH PLATE GLASS ('JOIYIPAN'Y,n A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPOSITE GLASS.

Application filed March 10, 1927. Serial No. 174,837.

The invention relates to an apparatus for making composite glass, and 1 particularly to the means for applying heat and pressure to cause the joinder between'the glass and the reinforcing Asheet used therebetween, such sheet ordinarily being of Celluloid, although other materials may be used. It is preferred to assemble the sheets with a coatin of cement, such as gelatin, dried upon 51e surfaces of the glass sheets, which are to be cemented to the Celluloid, the heat subsequently applied to the assembled sheets serving to soften the gelatin and secure adhesion when pressure is applied, but it will be understood that the apparatus may be used in other` Ways. For instance, a suiiicient amount of heat and pressure will cause the adherence of the Celluloid or other reinforcing material to the glass without thei use of any cement, ,and the invention may be employed in such Way, itdesired. The invention involves a modification of the apparatus shown and described -in my pending application, Serial No.

164,511, andis designed to provide an apparatus, which may be more easily and quickly loaded than the form of apparatus heretofore proposed employing diaphragms and rubber bags; which has fewer moving parts; which is more compact; and which is of lighter, less expensive construction. lOne embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Figure 1 is a partial side elevati-on of the apparatus.l Fig. 2 is a section on the ,line

II-II of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is. an enlargedA detail section on the line III-III of Fig. 1 with the trays removed. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section through 'one of the trays withJ a composite sheet therein. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail Views of one of the trays, Fig. 5 being a lan view and Fig. 6 a section on the line V -VI of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a section similar. to that of Fig. 3 but showing a modified construction. And Fig. 8 is a section through another modification.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 1 is a turntable provided with the wheels 12 mounted upon a circular track 3. This turntable carries a series of cabinets 4, only one of which is shown. Alongside the path of movement of the cabinets is a loading table 5 mounted 4for vertical movement in the base or standard 6. The table may be moved u and down by any desired means, but t is is `of the link 10. As each cabinet is brought opposite the table, its compartments are loaded with trays carrying the sets of sheets to be joined together.l Thel table also serves for unloading the cabinets after they have made a completeV revolution, the

composite sheets being removed 'on to the table, and other trays containing the sets of sheets to be joined together being inserted in the cabinet while the table is maintained in its position opposite one of the compartments. The turntable may be given a step by step movement of rotation to carry the cabinets past the loadin table by any suitable means, a rack 11 being shown which is engaged by a reciprocating pawl (not shown) The castings 12 serve as they bottom members of the series of cabinets, while the ribbed casting 13 constitutes the top of one of the cabinets. Interposed between abottom member 12 and the top member 13 are the frame members 14, 14, 14 etc., andthe spacing strips 15, 15, 15, etc. 1.) The top frame member 14 is secured to the casting 13 by means of the stud bolts 15, as indicated in Fig. 3, and the bottom frame member 14 is similarl -secured totle bottom casting 12. The ot er frame members 14 and the interposed strips`15 are secured rigidly in place by means of the vertical stud bolts 17 (Fig. ,1), which are screwed at their lower ends'into the bottom casting 12. Secured to the lower side of each ofthe frame members 14 is a flexible diaphragm 18, preferably of rubber, although any form of diaphragm having the requisite flexibility may be employed, such as thin metal plate.

These diaphragms are clamped in placeby means of the metal strips 19, 19, etc., held in place by means of the screws 20. The frame members lying below the top frame member 14 are each provided with a steel to plate 21, held in place by the screws 22.

n this.l

manner the cabinet is provided with the series of pressure chambers ,23, to 29,

no I' The tray is thenslid-into the compartment 'at one time. From the top ofthe cabinet to v the bottom the compartments arenumbered 30 to 35. v

y In order to position. a set of plates in one of the compartments. and to remove the set of yplates from the compartment, the tray shown inFigs. 4, 5 and 6` is preferably employed. This tray comprises a' rectangular metal frame 36 having 'the bottom 37. Such bottom may consist of a sheet of'canvas or of a thin sheet of metal secured at. its edges to' the frame 36. A handle for sliding the tray v into and put of the compartment isprovided pso in the form of the L-shaped pipe 38. This pipe valso acts "as an ,exhaust means for applying suction to the compartment in which the tray is placed. In order to perform this function, a flexible tube 39 is connected to the end of the pipe 38 by means of a suitable snap connection 40, the means for applying suction to the tubes 39 being later described. The ,trays are loaded with the sheets-to'b'e joined together, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 6, whereinV 41 and 41 are glass plates having a suitable coating of cement upon their inner surfaces, and 42 is a 4sheet of Celluloid which is to constitute the reinforcing for the composite plate. In order to prevent too great pressure being applied to .the edges of the sheets,l a templet 43 is also placed in the tray surrounding the sheets. Without this templet, the application of pressure, as later described, 'would tend to squeeze out the celluloid at the edges of the-plate. The thickness of the frame 36 issuchthat it Will just fit in between the binding strip 19- (Fig. 3) and the edge of the plate 21. The tray can thus be slid into position without diiiiculty,`

but at the same time has a relatively snug it-in the compartment. To .load a tray, it

'is pulled from its compartment onto the loading table 5, as indicated in Fig.`2, and

the 'sheets assembled `upon the bottomof the tray with the templet 43 surrounding them.

'and the table'5 moved upward to a position opposite the next compartment, the operation being .continued until all of the compartments are filled with the loaded trays.

Mounted on the turn table opposite each of the cabinets 13 isa hot Water supply,

header 44 and a cold water supply'header 45. The compartments 23 to 29 are connected to` the hot Water header by the flexible pipes 46,

46, 46, etc., and to the cold Water header by the pipes 47, 47, 47, etc. The hot Water header is supplied by al pipe 48 leading past the three-Way valve 49, While theI cold 'Water header is suppliedl by the pipe 50 leading past the three-Way valve 51. Hot and cold Water are supplied to the headers 52 and 53, respectively, by means of the pipes 54 and 55, the header 52 being swivelled on the pipe 55, andthe pipe 55 being sWivelled in the header 53. The three-Way valve 49 is operated by a lever 56 connectedto an operating rod 57 having a handle 58 Aat its outer end in position to be engaged by the operator at the front of the machine. The valve 51 is operated by the lever 59 connected by the rod 6() to the bellfcrank lever 61. The bell crank lever 61 has its other arm connected to a rod similar to the rod 57 terminating in a handle 62 adjacent the handle 58. l Leading from the valves 49 and 51 are the drainage pipes 63 and 64 which discharge to the basin 65 leadin to the pipe 66. l

' he flexible exhaust pipes 39 heretofore referred to all lead upward to a header 67 connected by the pipe 68 to a vacuum -tank 69, a controlling valve 70 being interposed in the pipe 68. This Valve is operated by,

The Vacuum tank is connected to a suitable exhaust pump 73 operated from the electric.

der to avoid Waste, and the circulation ot" water is continued` until a temperature is attained inthe pressure chambers 23 to 29 of approximatel 250 degrees F. and until the composite p ates in the trays reach approximately such temperature. suie is then increased by throttlingv the outflow` through thel valve 51 until such pressure in the chambers approximates 150 pounds per square inch. These conditions of temperature and pressure in the cham-A bers 23 to 29 are maintained for a short period, and the temperature in the cham- The pre'sbers is then reduced While still maintaining the pressure, as the best results are secure( whent'he plates are cooled off under pressure. In order to secure this result, the valve 49 is turned so that the header 44 is connected with the discharge pipe 63 andthe valve 51 is moved from drainage position to admission position. At the same time cold Water is pumped under pressure through the pipe 55 t the header 45, such water circulating through the pressure chambers and being conducted to the header 44, from which it is discharged through the drainage pipe 63. The passage through the 'valve 49 is throttled to such an extent that the desired pressure is maintained in the pressure chambers whilel the desired reduction in tempera-ture in these chambers is being secured. When the composite plates between the pressure chambers have cooled down to a point where they may be conveniently handled, the circulation4 of water through tion of the turntable has carried the cabinet' through approximately one revolution of the table, the other cabinets ,having been similarly filled andfhandled as each one passes the 4loading' table 5. lVhen the cabinetl again arrives oppositethe table A5, the trays are removed one after the other, following the procedure heretofore outlined, the composite plates being removed from each tray and a new set placed in the t'ray which is put back into the cabinet. In this manner a large number of :operations are v'pressure in the chambers 23 to 29, mayalso taken care of with convenienc'eand rapidity, one or two operators only being required to keep 'the apparatus operatingat capacity. The suction apparatusv is also operated while pressure is being applied 4to the plates,thisbeing accomplished by open# ing the valve to exhaust the air from the .spaces carrying the composite plates. This facilitates the removal of any air which is trapped between the glassq plates andthe celluloid.

Fig. 7 illustrates a modification wherein a series of lrubber diaphragms 7.5, '75, etc. are used in -place of the steel plates 21, 2l, 21, etc.. of the other formof construction. The rubber diaphragms 76, 76, etc..corre sp'ond to the diaphragme 18,` 18, 18, etc., in the other form of construction. The trays employed are the Asame as in the other form of construction, Ybut when once positioned in the spaces 77, 78, etc., they do not rest upon the rubber sheets or diaphragms 75, 75, etc., but are supported at their edges upon the binding strips 79 held in place by the screws 80. The operation is the same as in the construction of-Fig s. 1 to 3, hydraulic pressure being Y supplied to the' chambers 81, 82 and 83. './The construction of Figs. 1 to 3 is. preferred, because it requires a less number of rubber diaphragms, such rubber diaphragme Iinvolving additional expense because 4of the requirement for replacement from time to time, incident to the deterioration of the rubber.

Fig. 8 -illustrates a further modification,

in -which lthe metal plates 84 are placedy aboveA the spaces 85, and therubber sheets 86 'below such spaces, thus reversing the arrangement of Fig. 3. VAs the rubber sheets would'sag under the weight of the glass, they are supported by the perforated metal plates 87. This modification has one advantage over the Fig. 3 construction in that the rubber plates 18 of the'Fig. 3 construction may, in the course of time, sag down somewhat into the spaces 30 and 31, etc. and, tend to disarrange the sets of sheetsto be joined as the trays. carrying them arepushed into the spaces, while the metal plates 84 will maintain their shape Without sagging. On the other hand, the plates 21 of Fig. 3 provide a better sliding surface for the trays, than therubber plates 86 of.Fig. 8, and the Fig. 3 structure is simpler, lacking as it does any requirement for plates corresponding to the perforated plates 87.

The method ofcirculating hot and cold Water through the vpressure chambers may `be modified to suit requirements, and, if

desired, the arrangement shown in my pend- "ing application, Serial Number 164,511 mayv be employed. Thev throttlin of the outflowlng water through. the rainage pipes 63 and 64, inl order to secure the necessary be accomplished b -the use of the separate valves 88 and 89 (Fig. 2).' Economy 1n operation .may be increased by 'keeping the pipes 63 and 64 separate, although for sim- -members v14:, 14, etc. are shown and described as relatively fixed, they may be mounted for relative vertical movement, if

desired, as shown in my application above referred to, in order to more easily insert and remove the trays carrying the composite sheets.

-What I claim is:

l 1. Apparatus for applying pressure to a set of sheetsto be joined together comprising a relatively fixed plate and frame member spaced apart in opposition to each other, said-frame member having a chamber faeing said plate, a flexible diaphragm seated.

across. the face of said chambelga tray between said plate and diaphragm comprising a frame .rovided with a bottom adapted to carry sai sheets, and means for supplyin fluid underl pressure to said chamber,

sald plate and frame member being spaced apart just far enough to receive the lframe ofsaid tray. .j

2.-Apparatus for applying pressure toa set ofsheets"'to vbe Vjoined together comprising a relatively fixed plate and framev member spaced apart in opposition to each other, said frame member havin a cham- ".ber facing said plate, a iexible iaphragm seated across the face of said chamber, a tray between said plate and diaphragm com-y prising a` frame provided with a bottom adapted to carry said sheets, means for supplaylng viuid under .pressure to saidchamand means for applying su'ction tothe space inside'the tray, said `plate and frame member being spaced apart just far enoughV to receive the frame of said tray. Y

- 3. Apparatus for applying4 pressure to a v Set of sheets' to be joined 'together compris ing a relatively fixed plate and frame member fspaced.VA -apart inopposition to each other, said framemember having a chamber l frame` o facing said plate, a flexible diaphragm seated across the face of said chamber, la tray between said plate and diaphragm comprising' aframe` provided with a bottom adapted `-to carry saidl sheets, means for supplying fluid under pressure to sach chamber, and-means for supplying Huid under pressure vbeneath-said plate to'support it, said platel and framemember being spaced a artljus't far enough yto receive the Tsai ma y 4. Apparatu's'for appl ing pressure to a set of sheets to',be`"oin together comprisa' relatively imperforate plate forming the upper wall of a pressure cham-'f ber and a `member spaced. apart in opposition to' each other,sa1d, frame meinber having a chamber. facing said'plate, a iexible diaphragm' seated across/the face of said chamber, a removable traybetween. said plate and ,/diaphragm comprisinga frame provided with'A a `.dieirible bottom adapted to carry said sheets, and means or supplyingnfiuid under pressure to both of said chambers, said' plate and frame mema plurality of ber being' spaced a art just far enough to permit the frame o saidti'ay to be slid into the slot thusprovided.

5. Apparatus for applying ressure to a vplurality of sets of sheets to I orm4 each set Y into a composite plate, comprising a cabinet, aced parallel frame memereinl and each fcmprising bers supported' an imperforate metal 'ag chamber lhaving back wall, aiiexible front Wall or diaphragm,

and an edge wall spacin said front and back walls apart, a remova le tray, in each of the spaces between said frame members,

plurality ai spaced Parallel each comprising a frame hving -a bottom adapted tocarrv aset of sheets, and means,

for 'su plym fluid under pressure to'each 'of sai cham rs, said frame members being lspaced apart just far eno h to permit the 1 fames ofsaid trays to beurs -t l us id into the slots rovided. -Q' pparatus vfor a plying pressure to a 4plurality of sets o f s eets4 to orm each set into a composite plate comprisin ja cabinet,`

e members supported therein and,each comprising a chamber having an imperforate, metal back Wall, 'a flexible front wall or diaphragm, and an edge wall spacing said fronti-and back walls apart, a remova e tray in each Qf the'spaces between saidlframe members, each comprising a frame having a Ilexible bottom sheet adapted to carry a set of sheets, and means for supplying Huid y'under pressure to each 4ci lsaid chambers,

said frame members being 'spaced apart just -far enough to permit the frames of sald trays to be slid into the slots thus provided.

71. Apparatus for applying ressure to a plurality of sets of sheets to orm each set into acomposite plate, comprising a'cabin'et,

a plurality of spaced parallel frame member's 'supported therein and ea'clrcompri'sing a chamber' having an imperforate metal back wall, a flexible front wall' or diaphragm, and anedge wall' spacing said front and back walls apart, a removable tray in each of the spaces between said frame l members, each comprising a framehaving a flexible bottom plate adapted to carry a set of sheets, means for supplying iu'id under each of the trays, said frame members being spaced apart just far enough to permit the frames .of said trays to be slid into the slots thus provided. y

8. Apparatus for `applying pressurevtoa set of sheets to be jgined together comprising a plate and keine member spaced apart apart 1n oppositionto each other, said-frame member having a chamber facing said plate',

a flexible diaphraginseatedacross the face of said chamber,- a tray between said plate pressure to each of said chambers, and means for applying lsuction tol the spaces inside and diaphragm comprising a frame provided with a ottom .adapted to carry said sheets,

means for-supplying; fluid under pressure to such `chamber, and means for supplying .fluid'under pressure beneath said plate to support it,'said plate and frame-member .of said tray 10.' Apparatus for applying pressure to a plurality of. sets offsheets to form each set into a" composite plate, comprising a cabinet, a' plurality of spaced parallel 4frame members supported therein and each come mg spaced apartso as to receive the frame metal back wa11,la `fiexible front wall or diaphragm, and an edge wall spacing said `front and back walls apart, 'a removable tray in each of the spaces between said frame members, each comprising a `frame havin a bottom adapted to carry a set of sheets, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to each ot said chambers, lsaid frame members .being spaced apart so as to permit the frames of said trays to be slid linto the slots thus provided.

11. Apparatus for applying pressure to a plurality of sets of sheets to formveach setl into a composite plate, comprising a cabinet, a plurality of spaced parallel frame members supported therein .and each vcomprising a chamber havin an imperforate. metal back wall, a flexible gromt Awall or diaphragm, and an edge wall spacing said front andl back walls apart,' a removable tray in each of the spaces between said frame members, each comprising a frame having a flexible bottom sheet adapted to carr a set of sheets, and means for su plyin uid under vpressure to each of said) cham ers, said frame members being spaced apart so as to permit the frames of said. trays to be slid into the slots thus provided.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 7th day of'February, 1927. l

w. ORLAND LYTLE. 

